The difference, by ear
Technical thrash keeps the tempo and the picking and abandons verse-chorus structure, tonality and repetition. If you cannot find the riff again, it has crossed over.
Both are shouted and move at much the same pace, around 160 to 250 bpm. To hear the difference, play Voivod next to Metallica. Technical thrash grew out of thrash metal, five years later.
In figures
Technical thrash
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Thrash metal › Technical thrash
In short
Thrash with dissonant chords, odd meters and bass up front. The bridge between thrash and progressive metal.
How it sounds
- Dissonant chords and unusual intervals, with the bass in a contrapuntal role.
- Odd meters and structures that never repeat.
- Riffs assembled like puzzles, demanding high individual technique.
Key acts
- Voivod
- Watchtower
- Coroner
- Atheist
Start here
The pickVoivod - Nothingface. It includes a Pink Floyd cover that makes perfect sense.
Full page →Thrash metal
Where it sits
In short
NWOBHM plus hardcore punk: palm-muted riffs, brutal tempos and lyrics about war and society. The first truly extreme branch.
How it sounds
- Palm-muted riffs in sixteenths, played with relentless downpicking.
- Tempos of 180 to 250 bpm with skank beats and double kick.
- Barked or shouted but still intelligible vocals, and fast aggressive solos.
Key acts
- Metallica
- Slayer
- Megadeth
- Kreator
Start here
The pickSlayer - Reign in Blood. Twenty-nine minutes that redefined the word extreme.
Full page →